While I'm not saying that a cheaper "lite" iPhone version is not possible, anyone else feels that this could be a fabricated rumour by Apple to rat out internal

While I'm not saying that a cheaper "lite" iPhone version is not possible, anyone else feels that this could be a fabricated rumour by Apple to rat out internal leaks? I once came across a (half-drunk) guy in a bar who apparently works for Apple and according to him, Apple does at times release fake rumours or have multiple versions of a product and monitors which one gets "leaked out". Not sure how true his statement is but this rumour somehow doesn't feel right. Or maybe it is just me.